Prisoners' reformation: Punjab Prisons department to seek PU's assistance

The Punjab Prisons Department will seek assistance of the Punjab University for reformation of prisoners on modern scientific lines besides making them responsible and law-abiding citizens after their release from jails.
Inspector General of Prisons Punjab Mirza Shahid Saleem Baig stated this at a meeting with Vice Chancellor Punjab University Professor Dr Muhammad Zakaria Zakar here on Thursday. The IG further said that the faculty, PhD and M Phil students of psychology, applied psychology, social work and sociology departments can play a vital role for reformation of prisoners with the help of their modern knowledge and expertise.
He said the Punjab Prison will welcome them to various jails of their choice and a focal person will be deployed for coordination with the faculty. "The female PU faculty will be fully encouraged to deliver thought provoking lectures to women prisoners at the Central Jail, Kotlakhpat, Lahore, and Women Jail, Multan," the IG Prisons said.
Professor Dr Zakaria Zakar said the university will provide all best possible assistance and cooperation to the prisoners and the PU faculty will visit jails to improve the image of prisons and suggest a set of proposals for further betterment of the inmates.
The VC stressed urgent need for strictly adhering to the implementation of human rights. He said a meeting of the concerned faculties will be convened soon to work out a viable strategy to accede to the request of the Punjab Prisons and asked the IG to depute one of the DIG to represent the department in the meetings to finalize arrangements for regular visits to jails.
Dr Zakaria said majority of the prisoners are under matriculate and they need proper education and counselling by the highly qualified experts, adding that the PU will provide its expertise free of cost. He also accepted the offer of the IG for conducting surprise visit to any of the prisons in Punjab for inspection and checking the quality of food, cleanliness in kitchen and store and medical facilities besides environment in and around the jails.
Earlier, the IG Prisons delivering a special lecture to the students of the Institute of Communication Studies about the working of his department said that six days in a week chicken is being served to over 50,390 prisoners housed in 41 various jails of the province. He said one of the best menu has been prepared on the recommendation of food and technology department of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad. He said the technical education with the help of TEVTA Punjab and Allama Iqbal Open University is being imparted to the inmates and those who qualify exams are given special remission in their sentences.